PAGE | 1 AUGUST 2021

Mental Health and Wellbeing Adviser

ROLE DESCRIPTION

GRADE Grade 5

LOCATION Sighthill, Edinburgh LINE MANAGER Wellbeing Services Manager

ROLE SUMMARY Edinburgh Napier Student Counselling and Mental Wellbeing Service offer counselling and mental health advice to a student body consisting of approximately 17000 students. The main purpose of this role is to support the student journey through the delivery of a range of psychological interventions and together with the service manager co-ordinate the service safeguarding framework. The aim of the service and the role within it is to enhance the student experience and support student retention by delivering a range of professional interventions including one to one and group work based mental health advice, online support, and health promotion. The successful candidate will have considerable experience of working in mental health services with an associated professional qualification. They will have experience of working in the NHS/ local authority and/ or Higher or Further Education or extensive experience within relevant 3rd sector service provision. They will have a sound understanding of providing mental health advice and successfully developed and delivered individual and group programmes. They will also have extensive experience of safeguarding matters both from a clinical setting and when communicating and liaising re these matters.

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This role holds a significant and exciting opportunity to be part of a team who are delivering and continue to develop an innovative and student focused service provision. This role includes:

• Delivering in-depth assessment of student need, one to one mental health advice and active liaison with internal and external stakeholders.

• Assisting to develop mental health strategies, as well as developing and strengthening existing service protocols and guidance.

• Taking an active part in the safeguarding structure and a lead role in advising staff and University colleagues on safeguarding matters.

• Design and delivery of activities to promote mental wellbeing – including those designed to tackle stigma; and by delivering new evidenced based psychoeducational group work programmes and/or CBT based interventions.

• Identifying and addressing areas of mental stress within the University and offering guidance and advice to team members and University staff as appropriate.

LINE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR:

This role does not have any line management responsibilities currently.

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MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To act as a first point of contact for students with mental health issues maintaining a caseload working within a 1-3 session framework and a smaller case load of longer-term clients.

• Offer mental health advice and practical assistance to students on a monthly to six weekly basis, which includes liaison with internal /external services and academics and professional services. In so doing, support students with mental health difficulties by enabling them to develop self-management to better manage anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, procrastination issues etc. 

• To undertake in-depth assessment for students who are presenting as more complex at registration or through inter-referrals, using the clinical evaluation tool CORE34 to assess overall wellbeing and risk. To assess service suitability and refer to internal and external services as appropriate.

• Together with other team members, deliver a wellbeing ‘drop-in’ and service triage to students helping them access appropriate services within the University and out with.

• Together with other team members ensure best practice and support for students presenting with mental health difficulties ensuring that the University meets its ‘duty of care’ responsibilities and agreed processes are implemented. This includes taking part in clinical service meetings where complex cases are discussed and presented to ensure safe and ethical practice.

• Deliver CBT or other therapeutic interventions to students in a short-term therapeutic framework (if qualified/ has undertaken training to do so).

• To actively liaise and set up links and referral pathways with: Academic Schools, professional support services, Napier Students’ Association, mental health service providers in local National Health Service trusts as well as relevant third sector providers to ensure students have access to the most appropriate support.

• To ensure that students with long term conditions are well supported through liaison with relevant Disability & Inclusion Advisers regarding reasonable adjustments to provide students with organisational and study skills support.

• Together with service management take a lead role in safeguarding, advising practitioners and colleagues on safeguarding matters such as suicide prevention, acute mental health crisis, and vulnerable adult and child protection matters.

• Participate, and when required lead, at referral meetings as a Safeguarding Lead to make decisions re student treatment and support options for students at risk.

• To support students in negotiating time out or moving to more appropriate modes of studies, with the consent of the student, liaise with academics, contribute to extenuating circumstances/‘fit to sit’ regulations and to provide supporting statements for students in academic appeals.

• To develop and strengthen existing service guidance and protocols ensuring service professionalism and ethical practice is upheld. To advise and support the development of related policy and strategy development in line with the Healthy University agenda.

• To keep thorough, accurate and up to date client case notes and statistics using our CORE management system ensuring compliance with the Service’s Code of Confidentiality, professional standards and GDPR.

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• In addition to the main duties indicated here, the post holder may be required to perform other duties assigned by the Wellbeing Service Manager and Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion from time to time. Such duties will be reasonable and be in line with the post holder’s skills, experience, and grade.

• Role model the University’s values & behaviours;

• Be responsible for ensuring that the information and records processed (received, created, used, stored, destroyed) on behalf of the University are managed in compliance with ALL applicable legislation, codes and policies e.g. Data Protection, Information Security and Records Management.

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PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS

• Educated to degree level or equivalent. • A professional qualification in a related field such as psychiatric nursing,

social work, counselling psychology or mental health occupational therapy.

• This post is subject to registration with the PVG scheme, for regulated work with children and/or protected adults as appropriate. Employment in this post is conditional on the successful post holder being able to obtain/holding PVG scheme membership. The successful candidate will not be permitted to commence employment until this has been confirmed.

• Postgraduate qualifications • Qualification in cognitive behavioural therapy or related therapeutic

interventions.

• Qualification and or training in delivering mindfulness.

SKILLS / EXPERIENCE

• Extensive experience of working with adults and/or young people with mental health difficulties.

• Experience of mental health advice and health promotion.

• Experience of working in a clinical team setting.

• Experience of undertaking mental health assessment.

• Experience of undertaking risk assessment (risk to self/other) including suicide prevention and dealing and assessing mental health crisis.

• Experience of working with trauma and an understanding of trauma responses.

• Experience of advising on safeguarding matters.

• Experience of writing service protocols/ guidance. • Experience of creating and delivering successful group programmes such

as psycho educational workshops and/or therapeutic group work.

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ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

• Experience of ongoing accurate statistical collation and ability to provide reports and updates on collated statistics.

• Experience of working within the National Health Service. • Experience of working in Further/ Higher Education. • Experience of policy writing.

• Experience of report writing.

• Experience of using psychometric evaluation tools.

• Experience of the use of CORE management system or similar management systems.

• Demonstrate awareness of student experiences and the challenges- and mental health challenges in particular- students face in higher education.

• A thorough knowledge of mental health issues, services, practices, provision, and legislation in the UK.

• Thorough understanding of Child and Adult Protection frameworks and experience of communicating issues in written form, with colleagues and when liaising with NHS and other stakeholders.

• Understanding of inclusion and oppression and how they relate to the area of mental health.

• Understanding & knowledge of NHS structures and systems.

• Demonstrable ability to provide advice, guidance, and support to students with mental health difficulties.

• Demonstrable ability to manage a caseload and maintain confidential records in line with data protection legislation and duty of care issues.

• Up to date knowledge and experience of working with external agencies and referral pathways.

• Ability to act as an advocate for students with mental health difficulties.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Excellent presentation skills.

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.

• Ability to work as part of a team.

• Excellent IT skills.

• Ability to demonstrate self-care and psychological resilience.

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ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

• Able to work across campuses.

• Willingness to work flexible hours including occasional evening and weekend work.

• Commitment to high service standards, professional conduct and to upholding the University’s values and behaviours.

• A sound knowledge of physical health issues.